Shrub rose plant named &#39;wekfabpur&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new variety of Shrub rose suitable for garden decoration, having flowers of velvety black purple coloration with a white eye.

CLASSIFICATION

The present invention relates to a new Rosa hybrida plant.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

The new plant has the varietal denomination ‘WEKfabpur’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Shrub Rose. Ithas undisseminated seedlings of my creation as its seed and pollenparents.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Among the features which distinguish the new variety from otherpresently available and commercial rose cultivars known to the inventorare the following combination of characteristics: its thornless newshoots, branches and rachis, its flowers of velvety black purplecoloration with a white eye, its strong clove to spicy fragrance and itsnearly horizontal zone of lighter coloration forming a broad ‘V’ shapedat the petal base. The plant has a bushy compact growing habit, suitablefor outdoor garden decoration.

Asexual reproduction of the new variety by budding as performed in KernCounty and Upland, Calif., shows that the foregoing and otherdistinguishing characteristics come true to form and are established andtransmitted through succeeding asexual propagations. ‘WEKfabpur’ may beasexually propagated by budding and grafting. The budding and graftingsuccessfully occurred on the plant/rootstock Rosa hybrida cv. ‘Dr.Huey’.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS

The new rose may be distinguished from its seed parent, anundisseminated seedling of my creation by the following combination ofcharacteristics: whereas ‘WEKfabpur’ bears medium sized flowers (about5.3 to about 7.4 cm. in diameter) of velvety black purple colorationwith a white eye and with semi-double petalage (about 18 to 24 petals),the undisseminated seedling bears significantly larger flowers (about7.3 to 8.9 cm. in diameter) of purple-pink coloration with more doublepetalage (about 29 to 35 petals). The seed parent bears foliage with avery glossy finish, whereas ‘WEKfabpur’ bears foliage with a semi-glossyfinish.

The new variety may be distinguished from its pollen parent, anundisseminated seedling of my creation by the following combination ofcharacteristics: whereas the undisseminated seedling bears moderatelysmall flowers (about 3.3 to 4.2 cm. in diameter) and with semi-doublepetalage (about 7 to 9 petals), ‘WEKfabpur’ bears significantly largerflowers (about 5.3 to about 7.4 cm. in diameter) with more doublepetalage (about 18 to 24 petals). The pollen parent is a floribunda rosewith a medium-tall spreading mature habit, whereas ‘WEKfabpur’ isclassified as a shrub rose with a significantly shorter and more compactmature growing habit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATION

The accompanying photograph illustrates the new variety and shows theflowering thereof from bud to full bloom depicted in color as nearlycorrect as it is possible to make in a color illustration of thecharacter. Throughout this specification, color references and/or valuesare based upon the Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society(1966) except where common terms of color definition are employed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following description is of 3 to 4 year-old rose plants of the newvariety grown outdoors in Upland, Calif. in the month of October.Phenotypic expression may vary with environmental, cultural and climaticconditions, as well as differences in conditions of light and soil.

-   Flower: The new variety usually bears its flowers in clusters of    four to five or more per stem. Flowers are borne in somewhat regular    rounded clusters on strong short to medium stems (about 26 to about    72 cm.). Outdoors, the plant blooms abundantly and nearly    continuously during the growing season. The flowers have a strong    clove to spicy fragrance.-   Bud: The peduncle is about 2.4 to about 5.2 cm. in length, of    average caliper (about 0.15 to about 0.25 cm. in diameter), and    usually erect. It is almost entirely smooth, with some stipitate    glands and hairs. Peduncle color is between 144A and 135C. Before    the calyx breaks, the bud is about 0.8 to about 1.2 cm. in diameter    at the widest point, about 1.0 to about 1.5 cm. in length, and very    pointed in shape. The surface of the bud bears few foliaceous    appendages and many hairs, usually with slender entire foliaceous    parts extending beyond the tip of the bud about ½ or more of its    length. Bud color is between 144A and 135C. The sepals are about 2.2    to about 3.0 cm. in length and about 0.6 to about 1.0 cm. in width    at the widest point. The outer surface color of the sepal is between    144A and 135C. The inner surface color of the sepal is between 138B    and 137C and covered with fine wooly tomentum; sepal margins are    lined with some stipitate glands and hairs. As the petals open    (after the calyx breaks), the bud is about 1.2 to about 2.0 cm. in    diameter at the widest point, about 1.8 to about 2.4 cm. in length,    and moderately pointed to somewhat ovoid in form. The color of the    under surfaces of the newly opened petals is between 60A and 59B at    the center of the petal suffusing to as dark as between 187A and    187B toward the edge of the petal. At the point where the petal    attaches, there is a moderately large zone of between 3D and 5D. The    color of the upper surfaces of the newly opened petals is between    60A and 60B at the center of the petal suffusing to darker than    between 79A and 187A toward the edge of the petal. At the point    where the petal attaches, there is a moderately large zone of    between 8B and 10A. On either side of this attachment point,    extending to the edge of the petal, there is a somewhat wide,    diagonal zone of lighter coloration forming a broad ‘V’. The    coloration of this chevron is between 2D and 4D.-   Bloom: When fully open, the bloom ranges from about 5.3 to about    7.4 cm. in diameter. Petalage is semi-double with 18 to 24 petals    and about 2 to 8 petaloids irregularly arranged. When partially    open, the bloom form is cupped to somewhat globular, and the petals    are loosely cupped with petal edges somewhat reflexed outward. When    fully open, the bloom form is less cupped to somewhat flat, and the    petals are loosely cupped with petal edges somewhat reflexed    outward.-   Petals: The substance of the petals is somewhat light and of    moderately thin thickness, with upper surfaces moderately velvety to    somewhat satiny and under surfaces slightly shiny to matte. The    outer petals are nearly round in shape with apices usually somewhat    mucronate. The inner petals are moderately obovate to somewhat    oblanceolate in shape with apices usually somewhat mucronate to    sometimes rounded. The petals are about 2.1 to about 3.0 cm. in    length and about 1.3 to about 2.7 cm. in width at the widest point.    Petal margins are entire.-   Newly opened flower: The under surface color of the outer,    intermediate and inner petals is between 60B and 72B at the center    of the petal suffusing to as dark as between 79B and 187B toward the    edge of the petal. At the point where the petal attaches, there is a    moderately large zone of near 4D. The upper surface color of the    outer, intermediate and inner petals is between 60A and 72A near the    center of the petal that gradually suffuses to darker than between    79A and 187A toward the edge of the petal. At the point where the    petal attaches, there is a moderately large zone of between 4C and    2D. On either side of this attachment point, extending to the edge    of the petal, there is a moderately wide, nearly horizontal zone of    lighter coloration forming a broad ‘V’. The coloration of this    chevron is near 4D. The general tonality of the newly opened flower    is between 60A and 72A near the center of the petal that gradually    suffuses to darker than between 79A and 187A toward the edge of the    petal. At the very center of the flower, there is a ‘eyezone’    pattern consisting of the basal attachment zone of between 4C and 2D    and the chevron marking of near 4D in coloration.-   Three-day-old flower: The under surface color of the outer,    intermediate and inner petals is between 72B and 79D at the center    of the petal suffusing to as dark as between 77A and 187C toward the    edge of the petal. At the point where the petal attaches, there is a    moderately large zone of between 4D and 155C. The upper surface    color of the outer, intermediate and inner petals is between 72A and    187C near the center of the petal that gradually suffuses to as dark    as between 79B and 187B toward the edge of the petal. At the point    where the petal attaches, there is a moderately large zone of near    4D. On either side of this attachment point, extending to the edge    of the petal, there is a moderately wide, nearly horizontal zone of    lighter coloration forming a broad ‘V’. The coloration of this    chevron is near 155C. The general tonality of the three-day-old    flower is between 72A and 187C near the center of the petal that    gradually suffuses to darker than between 79B and 187B toward the    edge of the petal. At the very center of the flower, there is a    ‘eyezone’ pattern consisting of the basal attachment zone of near 4D    and the chevron marking of near 155C in coloration. On the spent    bloom, the petals usually drop off cleanly. In October in Upland,    Calif., blooms on the bush growing outdoors generally last about    four to five or more days. Cut roses from plants grown outdoors and    kept at normal indoor living temperatures generally last about four    to five or more days.-   Male reproductive organs: Stamens are many in number (average    about 95) and are arranged regularly about the pistils; a few are    mixed with petaloids. The filaments are of somewhat short length    (about 0.2 to about 0.7 cm.), most with anthers. Filaments are near    13B in color usually moderately suffused with near 53B. The anthers    are moderately small for the class and all open approximately at the    same time. Anther color is between 18A and 20A when immature and    between 163A and 200A at maturity. Pollen is abundant.-   Female reproductive organs: Pistils vary in number (average about    35). The styles are moderately even, average in length (about 0.5 to    about 0.8 cm.), average in caliper, and loosely bunched. Stigma    color is between 20C and 19B. Style color is between 2D and 4D often    heavily suffused with between 187C and 183B. Ovaries are usually all    enclosed in the calyx. Hips have not been observed on this variety    when grown in Upland, Calif.-   Foliage: The compound leaves are usually comprised of three to seven    or more leaflets and are borne abundantly. The seven-leaflet leaves    are about 11.5 to about 15.2 cm. in length and about 8.2 to about    9.6 cm. in width at the widest point, somewhat thin to moderately    leathery in texture, and semi-glossy in finish. The terminal    leaflets are about 5.3 to about 6.2 cm. in length and about 2.6 to    about 3.5 cm. in width at the widest point, shaped moderately ovate    to somewhat oval with acute apices and rounded bases. Their margins    are usually simply serrate. The upper surface color of the mature    leaf is between 147A and 131B. The under surface color of the mature    leaf is between 137B and 135C. The upper surface color of the young    leaf is between 147A and 141C, sometimes moderately suffused with    between 187A and 183A. The under surface color of the young leaf is    between 146B and 135C, sometimes lightly suffused with between 187A    and 183A. The rachis is moderately light in caliper and very smooth.    The upper side is shallowly grooved with some hairs and few    stipitate glands on the edges of the grooves. The under side of the    rachis is very smooth with few hairs. The rachis color is between    144A and 135C sometimes moderately suffused, especially on the young    leaves with between 187C and 183C. The stipules are about 1.1 to    about 1.5 cm. in length and of moderately narrow width (about 0.4 to    about 0.6 cm.) with somewhat long straight points that usually turn    out at an angle of more than 45 degrees and sometimes recurve toward    the stem. The stipules color is between 144A and 135C sometimes    moderately suffused, especially on the young leaves with between    187C and 183C. The petiole is about 0.6 to about 1.4 cm. in length    and about 0.1 to about 0.2 cm in diameter at the widest point. The    petiole color is between 144A and 135C sometimes moderately    suffused, especially on the young leaves with between 187C and 183C.    The plant displays an above average degree of resistance to powdery    mildew and rust as compared to other commercial varieties grown    under comparable conditions in Upland, Calif. The plant's winter    hardiness and drought/heat tolerance are yet to be determined.-   Growth: The plant has a bushy compact low to medium height growing    habit (about 75 to about 92 cm. in height and about 46 to about    60 cm. spread at the widest point), with full branching. It displays    moderately vigorous growth and the canes are of somewhat light to    medium caliper for the class. The color of the major stems is    between 146A and 146B. They bear none to very few medium size    prickles that are about 0.4 to about 0.6 cm. in length. The medium    size prickles are almost straight and angled slightly downward with    a somewhat short length narrow oval base; prickle color is between    164A and 165B. The major stem bears no small prickles. The color of    the branches is between 144A and 135C. They bear no large or small    prickles. The color of the new shoots is between 144A and 135C    sometimes lightly suffused with between 187A and 183A. They bear no    large or small prickles.

1. A new and distinct Shrub rose plant of the variety substantially asdescribed and illustrated herein.